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Burmese

Burmese

An extremely people-oriented breed, the Burmese is frisky and mischievous well into adulthood. Craving close contact, she loves to cuddle in warm laps. With an almost doglike personality, the Burmese can be taught to retrieve. This breed is good with children and tolerates cat friendly dogs. Having a short, satinlike coat and compact body, this cat has large, expressive eyes that are one of the breed’s endearing traits.

DID YOU KNOW? The Burmese originated from cats that came from the Malay Peninsula of Southeast Asia, where these highly prized felines were the personal pets of the head priest. Referred to as “Rajah” cats, they were loved and honored by old Burmese kings.

The need-to-know
  • Highly active and inquisitive cat
  • Sociable and dependent cat
  • Very talkative cat
  • Lean and elegant cat breed
  • Requires grooming once a week
  • Outdoor cat
  • Great family cat

Pet Card

  • Living Considerations: Good for multi-pet households, not hypoallergenic
  • Size: Medium, with males weighing 3.5 to 5 kilograms and females weighing 3 to 4 kilograms
  • Coat: Short
  • Temperament: Playful, spirited, can be stubborn
  • Grooming: Rarely/Never
  • Shedding: Yes
  • Vocalisation: Never loud, having a soft, sweet voice

Personality

The Burmese cat is an extremely friendly and affectionate creature that needs attention from human beings to be happy. The Burmese cat breed is very demanding and Burmese cats will follow owners around the house crying for attention – they might even climb their owner's leg begging to be picked up and cuddled! As very vocal cats they will often greet owners when they return home or demand what they want and to join in with all activities. Loyal to their owners, they are sometimes known as the 'dog cat' as many are happy to play retrieve. They are very intelligent and can work out problems such as opening doors are often successful escape artists!

History and Origins

Country of Origin: Burma

A dark brown cat, resembling a Siamese cat in shape, was first taken from the far east to California in the 1930s. As there were no other Burmese cats in America at the time, the 'Wong Mau' breed was mated with a Seal Point Siamese cat. Through selective breeding a new dark coated breed became known as the Burmese cat we know today. The Burmese cat was first recognised as a breed in American and came to Europe in the 1940s. Breeding programmes have since developed a range of coat colours.

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